Device for holding upright swinging trunk-trays.



PATENTED FEB. 7, 1905.

C. T. WILT.

DEVICE FOR HOLDING UPRIGHT SWINGING TRUNK TRAYS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20,1904.

Uacuiasl %4 44;) (15%? Patented February 7, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES T. \VILT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DEVICE FOR HOLDING UPRIGHT SWlNGING TRUNK-TRAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,858, dated February '7, 1905.

Application filed June 20,1904. Serial No. 213,202.

Be it known that 1, CHARLES T. \VIL'I, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Holding Upright Swinging Trunk-Trays; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for holding in its open position the swinging tray of a trunk; and the object of the invention is to provide a simpleand inexpensive and eflicient device of this character which is automatically thrown into its locking position when the tray is raised or opened.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is afront perspective view of a trunk, showing the lid and swinging tray open and showing my improved holding device applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an elevation view of the holding device and its guides removed from the trunk. Fig. 3 is a bottom perspective view of a trunk-tray, showing a modilied form of the invention.

As shown in the drawings, A designates the body of a trunk, A its lid, and B designates a swinging tray which is hinged at its rear side to the rear wall of the trunk in any usual or preferred manner. Said tray B may be a setup tray that is, a tray projecting upwardly from the top of the trunkor a body-tray, or one which is flush at its top with the top of the trunk-body.

My improved holding device is attached to the tray and is provided with parts which are adapted to be projected endwise from the tray when the tray is swung into its open position to engage upwardly-facing shoulders on the end walls of the trunk. Such upwardly-facing shoulders may be specially formed in the trunk-walls or may be formed on the top margins of the end walls of the trunk.

My improved holding device consists, in general terms, of two endwise-movable bars or bolts C C, which are fastened either to the bottom or the rear side wall of the tray, and a spring 0', located at the center of the device and acting oi'ltwardly against both of said bars or bolts to throw the same outwardly. As shown, said holding-bolts and spring are made from a single rod or bar of spring metal, the ends of said rod forming the bolts and the central part of the rod being folded away from the plane of the rod to constitute a loop-formed spring C.

As shown in Fig. 1, the holding device is attached to the under side of the lower wall of the tray and is connected therewith through the medium of suitable guides 11 6, the outer guides 7/ being located closely adjacent to the end walls of the tray and the inner guides l) beinglocated adjacent to the looped spring (3. Said guides are fastened to the tray-wall by means of screws or like holding devices. \Vhen the tray is in its closed position, the ends of the bolts (7 bear endwise against the inner faces of the end walls of the trunk and the spring C is placed under some compression. \Vhen, therefore, the tray is opened or raised, said spring acts to thrust the holdingbolts endwise outwardly as soon as they have passed the upper margins of the end walls of the trunk. Said bars when thus thrust outwardly are in position to hold the tray open, as shown in Fig. 1, inasmuch as the tray cannot be closed until the said bolts are moved inwardly, which is done by compressing the looped spring C.

Preferably the trunk-wall is provided with wearing-plates a, which are attached to the,

upper margins of the trunk-walls at the place engaged by the bolts (1. Said plates thus take the wear of said bolts due to the weight of the tray resting thereagainst. Desirably said wear-plates 1/ are provided with extensions a, which lit on the inner faces of the end walls of the trunk and are located in such position as to be engaged by the ends of the holding-bolts in all positions of the tray except when the tray is opened sufficiently to bring the bolts above the level of the trunkwalls. As herein shown, said plates 1/ are curved rcarwardly to correspond with the curved path of the ends of the bolts as the tray is opened and closed.

In Fig. 3 l have shown my improved holding device as afiixed to the rear wall of the tray. As shown in said figures, D D designate the holding-bolts, and D the centrallylocated looped spring made integral with the holding-bolts. Said bolts are guided in suitable guides 5 63, made like the guides Z) Z), before referred to. The looped spring D is made of such form that it may be swung .up- Wardly against the lower face of the bottom wall of the tray when not in use, so that there will be no parts of the device projecting downwardly from the tray.

1n some instances the looped spring may be made separate from and attached to the locking-bolts in any suitable manner. If made integral with the bolts, the loop is suitably tempered to give the proper tension to the spring.

It Will be observed that the holding device and its attachment to the tray is exceedingly simple and may be made and applied to the trunk at a very small cost, While its action to hold the tray open is entirely automatic notwithstanding any weight that may be brought upon the tray.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with the body of a trunk and its swinging tray, of a device for holding the tray in its upright position comprising endwise-sliding bolts mounted in suitable guides on the tray and a spring of looped form connecting the inner ends of said bolts, acting to project the outer ends of the bolts endwise beyond the tray for engagement With upwardly-facing shoulders on the end walls of the trunk when the tray is raised.

2. The combination with the body of a trunk and its swinging tray of a holding device comprising two endwise-sliding bolts, guides on the tray in Which said bolts slide endwise and a looped-form spring made integral with said bolts and located centrally of the device and acting to shift the bolts endwise.

3. A device for the purpose set forth comprising a rod formed between its ends to constitute a looped spring and having straight ends extending oppositely from said looped spring and guides in which said ends of the device slide endwise. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 18th day of June, A, D.

CHARLES T. W'ILT. Witnesses:

WV. L. HALL, F. W. KIRBY. 

